14er with a 10 yr old?
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spiderman
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Re: 14er with a 10 yr old?
When my son was 8, we did a road trip through the West. We stopped by Elbert on our way through Colorado. He loved it; that peak is a good introduction to western state highpoints. It was a good warm-up to doing Whitney as a day hike later on that month. My main tip is to keep his pack light (or have no pack at all), and have lightweight shoes. It makes a huge difference.
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greenhorn1
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Re: 14er with a 10 yr old?
Can your child handle high elevations? That is another issue to consider. If you can drive to the top of Mt. Evans, for example, and they don't fall asleep, get headaches, or throw up, then your probably okay with a hike to that same elevation. We live in the flat lands of the mid-west so it takes days for us to fully acclimate to CO altitude. It sucks.
Choose only one master - Nature. Rembrandt
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3rdGenNative
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Re: 14er with a 10 yr old?
I've helped take dozens of middle school kids up Democrat. I've taken high school kids from IA up there too. Yes, Handies would be spectacular HOWEVER you'll need a vehicle with high clearance to get to the TH. Adding on the extra mileage to not get to the trailhead could mean the difference between making the summit and your kid bonking at Sloan Lake.
"There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will never again settle for less."
Kurt Hahn-Founder of Outward Bound
"Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God." George Washington Carver
Kurt Hahn-Founder of Outward Bound
"Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God." George Washington Carver
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cedica
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Re: 14er with a 10 yr old?
There is really no need for 4wd to Handies' Grizzly Gulch trailhead, Ford Focus took me there just fine. It is slightly lower and longer than American Basin approach, but still only about 3600 feet and 8 miles. And I've seen four happy kids jumping at the top.
Greenhorn1, funny that you mentioned Evans by car as acclimatization because that was exactly my schedule coming from sea level through Denver airport. At first I felt like passing out, but after few bites of food and more fluids I was able to walk around a little bit. One sleepless night and gigantic headache later, I walked to the top of Evans (kids I've seen there looked less happy, probably because hike feels long and Northeast Ridge trail is loose because of huge traffic). But for kids coming from lower elevations I would recommend throwing one or two more days in between.
Greenhorn1, funny that you mentioned Evans by car as acclimatization because that was exactly my schedule coming from sea level through Denver airport. At first I felt like passing out, but after few bites of food and more fluids I was able to walk around a little bit. One sleepless night and gigantic headache later, I walked to the top of Evans (kids I've seen there looked less happy, probably because hike feels long and Northeast Ridge trail is loose because of huge traffic). But for kids coming from lower elevations I would recommend throwing one or two more days in between.
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peter303
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Re: 14er with a 10 yr old?
I'd call it "adventurous" for sedan which I've done a couple of times. Once you leave the vacation home area behind Lake City and start climbing, there are ruts and rocks that can test low clearance. Plus curvy sections wide enough for just one vehicle on a two-way way road. There are a couple of forest campgrounds in the vacation home area (always full on summer weekends) and informal camping at the trailhead. Great hikes up all three 14ers there.cedica wrote:There is really no need for 4wd to Handies' Grizzly Gulch trailhead, Ford Focus took me there just fine.
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hero9624
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Re: 14er with a 10 yr old?
I would have to go with Quandary on this one. Its a good easy hike and scenic.
If AMS hits, its an easier hike to come down from and close to town. Especially if you're bringing a 10yo. which would less likely have problems than adults. Just a reminder for everyone to drink water including the adults, kids can't carry adults down if something happens! I may have missed it, but where are you all coming from?
If AMS hits, its an easier hike to come down from and close to town. Especially if you're bringing a 10yo. which would less likely have problems than adults. Just a reminder for everyone to drink water including the adults, kids can't carry adults down if something happens! I may have missed it, but where are you all coming from?
